Non-close-packed breath figures via ion-partitioning-mediated self-assembly

We report a one-step method of forming non-close-packed (NCP) pore arrays of micro- and sub-micropores using chloroform-based solutions of polystyrene acidified with hydrogen bromide for breath figure (BF) patterning. As BF patterning takes place, water vapor condenses onto the polystyrene solution, forming water droplets on the solution surface. Concurrently, preferential ion partitioning of hydrogen bromide leads to positively charged water droplets, which experience interdroplet electrostatic repulsion. Self-organization of charged water droplets because of surface flow and subsequent evaporation of the droplet templates result in ordered BF arrays with pore separation/diameter (L/D) ratios of up to 16.5. Evidence from surface potential scans show proof for preferential ion partitioning of HBr. Radial distribution functions and Voronoi polygon analysis of pore arrays show that they possess a high degree of conformational order. Past fabrication methods of NCP structures typically require multi-step processes. In contrast, we have established a new route for facile self-assembly of previously inaccessible patterns, which comprises of only a single operational step

Effects of dietary antioxidants on the quality, fatty acid profile, and lipid oxidation of longissimus muscle in Kacang goat with aging time.

Thirty-two male goats were randomly assigned to four dietary treatments namely, basal diet 70% concentrate and 30% oil palm fronds (control, CN), CN + 400 mg/kg vitamin E (VE), 0.5% turmeric (TU) or 0.5% Anderographis paniculata (AP). After 100 days of feeding, the goats were slaughtered and longissimus dorsi (LD) muscle was sampled. The muscle was vacuum-packaged and conditioned for 0, 7 and 14 days in a chiller (4 °C). The drip loss of the LD muscle increased (P < 0.05) with aging time. Meat tenderness was improved (p < 0.05) at 14 days aging. All antioxidant supplements improved (P < 0.05) colour of the meat. The TBARS value increased (P < 0.05) at 7 days of aging while the fatty acid composition was not affected by the dietary supplements. It is concluded that TU and AP are potential dietary antioxidant supplements, for the purpose of improving the quality of chevon

Phenomenological Implications of a Class of Neutrino Mass Matrices

The generic predictions of two-texture zero neutrino mass matrices of class A in the flavor basis have been reexamined especially in relation to the degeneracy between mass matrices of types A_1 and A_2 and interesting constraints on the neutrino parameters have been obtained. It is shown that the octant of $\theta_{23}$ and the quadrant of the Dirac-type CP-violating phase $\delta$ can be used to lift this degeneracy.Comment: 16 pages, 4 figures, final version with minor changes to appear in Nucl. Phys.

Igg Subclasses Targeting the Flagella of Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium Can Mediate Phagocytosis and Bacterial Killing.

Invasive non-typhoidal Salmonella are a common cause of invasive disease in immuno-compromised individuals and in children. Multi-drug resistance poses challenges to disease control, with a critical need for effective vaccines. Flagellin is an attractive vaccine candidate due to surface exposure and high epitope copy number, but its potential as a target for opsonophacytic antibodies is unclear. We examined the effect of targeting flagella with different classes of IgG on the interaction between Salmonella Typhimurium and a human phagocyte-like cell line, THP-1. We tagged the FliC flagellar protein with a foreign CD52 mimotope (TSSPSAD) and bacteria were opsonized with a panel of humanised CD52 antibodies with the same antigen-binding V-region, but different constant regions. We found that IgG binding to flagella increases bacterial phagocytosis and reduces viable intracellular bacterial numbers. Opsonisation with IgG3, followed by IgG1, IgG4, and IgG2, resulted in the highest level of bacterial uptake and in the highest reduction in the intracellular load of viable bacteria. Taken together, our data provide proof-of-principle evidence that targeting flagella with antibodies can increase the antibacterial function of host cells, with IgG3 being the most potent subclass. These data will assist the rational design of urgently needed, optimised vaccines against iNTS disease.This work was supported by grants from the Wellcome Trust (081743/Z/06/Z) awarded to P.M. and A.J.G and from the Medical Research Council G0801161 awarded to A.J.G. and P.M.This is the final version of the article. It first appeared from OMICS International via http://dx.doi.org/10.4172/2157-7560.100032

Electronic Structure of LuRh2Si2: "Small" Fermi Surface Reference to YbRh2Si2

We present band structure calculations and quantum oscillation measurements on LuRh2Si2, which is an ideal reference to the intensively studied quantum critical heavy-fermion system YbRh2Si2. Our band structure calculations show a strong sensitivity of the Fermi surface on the position of the silicon atoms zSi within the unit cell. Single crystal structure refinement and comparison of predicted and observed quantum oscillation frequencies and masses yield zSi = 0.379c in good agreement with numerical lattice relaxation. This value of zSi is suggested for future band structure calculations on LuRh2Si2 and YbRh2Si2. LuRh2Si2 with a full f electron shell represents the "small" Fermi surface configuration of YbRh2Si2. Our experimentally and ab initio derived quantum oscillation frequencies of LuRh2Si2 show strong differences with earlier measurements on YbRh2Si2. Consequently, our results confirm the contribution of the f electrons to the Fermi surface of YbRh2Si2 at high magnetic fields. Yet the limited agreement with refined fully itinerant local density approximation calculations highlights the need for more elaborated models to describe the Fermi surface of YbRh2Si2.Comment: 12 pages 10 figure